The following was researched and produced by Elizabeth Forel of The Coalition for New York City Animals, Inc.SPAY/NEUTER FACT SHEETMarch 1999The Coalition for New York City Animals, Inc.P.O. Box 20247, Park West StationNew York, NY 10025Advantages to Cat and Dog Over Population Control Legislation (spay/neuter law)1. Ethical: Reducing the number of animals born is the only ethical solution to overpopulation that will have a long-term effect. Killing is not an ethical means of reducing the number of animals.2. Financial: Increasing the number of animals sterilized will reduce the number of animals born and will, therefore, reduce the number of animals entering shelters. This, in turn, will reduce animal control costs.3. Public Health and Safety: Reducing the number of animals born will benefit public health and safety. For example, a reduction in surplus animals will mean a reduction in: dogs running loose, animals causing traffic hazards, quarantines, dog bites, dog fights, barking complaints, dog droppings. Source: The Fund for Animals ­ Kim Sturla

The Problem in New York City:New York City -- there is no municipal effort to curb the births of unwanted animals; no public sponsored humane education; no municipal spay/neuter clinics; no spay/neuter incentive legislation; without any of these incentives, the population of unwanted cats and dogs will only increase.Statistics for animal activity at the Center for Animal Care and Control (CACC) for the years 1995-1998 are:

Source: CACC. Note--these numbers have never been audited.In four years, this represents a total of 234, 412 animals turned in to the CACC and 167,223 killed.

The correct way to assess euthanasia (killing) statistics is to base the number of animals killed on the number received by the shelter. It is incorrect and misleading to base the numbers on human population. Source: common senseThe CACC claims that they have one of the lowest euthanasia rates in the country based on human population. Source: Marilyn Haggerty Blohm. However, because NYC has such a large human population -- over 7 million -- if every animal that came into the shelter were euthanized, using this formula, NYC would still have one of the lowest rates. Source: common senseA growing number of stray animals means an increase in the suffering and death of these animals. One such indication is that for the year 1997, 730 animals were "dead on arrival" at the CACC; in 1998, 531 animals were "dead on arrival." This represents 1,831 DoA animals. Source: CACCFor the year 1996, 6,953 animals were either tagged "round up" or "stray picked up" at the CACC. In addition, 22,117 animals were turned in as strays for a total of 29,070 stray animals. In 1997, the number had increased to 7,244, for "round up" or "stray picked up" and an additional 21,067 animals were turned in as strays for a total of 28,311 stray animals. By 1998, the overall number of strays in turned in to the CACC had dropped 25,207 - a drop of 10.9%.Source: CACC -- Note -- these numbers have never been audited.

The Problem in GeneralOver $2 billion is spent annually by local governments to shelter and ultimately destroy 8-10 million adoptable cats and dogs because of a shortage of homes. Source: Business Wire Features 2/16/997 dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in the United States; only 1 in 5 puppies and kittens stay in their original home for his/her natural lifetime; the other 4 are abandoned to the streets or end up at a shelter. Source: The Humane Society of the United States.An unspayed female cat, her mate and all of their offspring, producing 2 litters per years, with 2.8 surviving kittens per year can total 11,606,077 cats in only 9 years. Source: Spay USAAn unspayed female dog, her mate and all of their puppies, if none are ever neutered or spayed, add up to 67,000 dogs in 6 years. Source: Spay USAApproximately 25% of the animals in shelters are purebred. Source: The Fund for Animals -- Kim SturlaThe public acquires only 14% of its pets from shelters; 48% get their pets as strays, from friends, from animal rescuers, 38% get their pets from breeders or pet stores. Source: The Humane Society of the United States.Only 42% of cat owners and 39% of dog owners are aware of the pet-overpopulation problem. Source: Massachusetts SPCA survey 1993Legislation:The first NYC cat and dog overpopulation control bill -- Intro 321 -- was introduced in 1994. Since that time over 200,000 animals have been euthanized by NYC animal control. Source: ASPCA, CACCSince 1990, spay/neuter incentive legislation has been passed in over 50 cities and counties in the US. They include King County, WA; Denver, CO; Fort Wayne, IN; Camden, NJ; San Mateo, CA and Honolulu, HI, to name a few.Source: The Fund for Animals -- Kim SturlaOne of the most successful spay/neuter laws was passed in King County, WA in 1992. Since that time they have reduced the number of animals euthanized by 52%. Source: The Fund for Animals -- Kim SturlaLos Angeles, CA - In 1998, a resolution passed by the Los Angeles Animal Regulation Commission that would significantly increase the license fee of unneutered dogs to $100 and would double the cost of the breeder's fee to $100. It is waiting approval by the City Council and mayor. With the passage of this law, it is expected that the over breeding of dogs, many of whom end up euthanized at the city shelters will be reduced. In 1997, more than 30,650 dogs were euthanized at Los Angeles shelters. Source: The Los Angeles Animal Regulation Commission

Demographics:A 1997 study revealed that between 1991 and 1996 population estimates increased for dogs by 0.4 million or 8% and cats by 2.1 million or 3.7%. It also showed that 18.8% of US households had dogs, but not cats, and that 14.1% of households had cats, but not dogs; and that 13.3% of households had both. From these results, we can infer that 45.7% of all US households had dogs, cats or both. Source: American Veterinary Medical Assoc.

Costs:For every dollar invested in municipally operated spay/neuter clinics, taxpayers would save $18.72 in future animal control costs over a ten-year period. Source: Animal Population Control Study Commission - Minnesota Legislature - updated 1989 (originally based on figures submitted by T.J. Sorich at the 1976 Denver Conference on Dog and Cat Control)The CACC reports that 25,207 animals were tagged "stray" in 1998. The approximate cost to house a stray animal in NYC for 48 hours (legal requirement) is $80 per day or $160 per animal. The approximate cost in 1998 for housing stray animals only was $4,033,120. Source: based on and extrapolated from ICMA MIS report 9/93 and Animal Population Control Study Commission - Minnesota Legislature - 1989.

Spay Neuter CostsThe average cost to spay a cat by a private veterinarian in NYC ranges from $150 to $300. This includes exam, mandatory vaccinations and feline viral tests.The cost to spay a cat at the ASPCA is $55 for the procedure only; a dog spay, depending on weight ranges from $65 to 200 +; this does not include vaccinations.The cost to spay a 50 pound dog at the Have-a-Heart Clinic (Fund for Animals) is $45, exclusive of vaccinations.The cost to spay a 50 pound dog at the Humane Society of New York is $125, exclusive of vaccinations.

Spay/Neuter Clinic Success StoriesCharlotte, NC -- In 1980, before the spay/neuter clinic opened, 7,814 dogs were euthanized; By 1982, only 4,658 dogs were euthanized -- a 40% drop, at a savings to the city of 39%. Source: The Humane Society of CharlotteLos Angeles, CA -- The first municipal spay/neuter clinic in the US was opened in 1971. By 1987, the number of animals euthanized had dropped by 58.1%. (although these clinics were considered a tremendous success, they closed in 1992 due to a combination of city riots, earthquakes, fires and city financial problems)Santa Barbara, CA -- a subsidized spay/neuter clinic was opened in 1975. Within a decade, the number of animals euthanized at the city shelter fell 80%. Source: Animal PeopleSan Francisco, CA -- The SFSPCA began subsidized spay/neuter in 1976. By 1991, the organization had ceased euthanizing adoptable dogs and cats. Source: Animal PeopleHuron Valley, MI -- the Humane Society opened a subsidized neutering clinic in 1975. By 1984, the number of animals admitted to the Huron Valley shelter had dropped by half. Source: Animal PeopleLas Vegas, NV -- The Animal Foundation Low Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic opened in 1989 and performs an average of 60 neuterings per day. This clinic has been a model for low cost clinics throughout the US.